Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-14
BY ORDER OF GRANT.
WHY GEN SHERIDAN DEVASTATED THE
SHENANDOAH VALLEY
So A Grow Gould Not Pass Over It Without
Taking HIS RsfOns With Him Official
War Dispatches From Grants Pen
Orders TO Sheridan.

UTICA, n. Y, May l3.-In view of tho
severe criticisms made by General Rossel
on General Sheridan, for the work tht
latter did in Virginia during the clOs ny
days Of the rebellion, the dispatches
printed below will be OF interest.
They are copied from the originals,
which are now in possession Of William
Blaikie, of this city.
They were transcribed into cipher, and
sent by S. II. Beckwith. of this city, who
at the time was in the Secret Service of the
United States, and are rs follows:
CITY POINT, VA, Aug. Is, $50 p. VI. 1864,
N,Uor General Sheridan, Winchester, Ia:
fyou can possibly spare q division Of
cavalry send them through LOudon county
to destroy and carry of crops, animals,
negrOS, and all men under fifty years OI
age capable of bearing arms. In this way
you will get many of MOSby's men. Al
male citizens under fifty can fairly he held
rs prisoners Otwar, and not as citizen priS
oners IL not already soldiers they will
he made so the moment the rebel army
gets hold of them.
Signed L. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
IiEADQUARTERs
ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
CITY POINT, August 2l, 1861
MAJOR General Sheridan, Winchester, 10:
In stripping LoudOn county OF supplies,
&c., impress from all loyal persons 30 that
they may receive pay for what is taker
from them. l am informed by the Assist
| ant Secretary of War that LOudOu county
has large population of Quakers, whC
are all iayorahly disposed to the Union
These people may be exempted from ar
| rest.
ISiguedl L. s. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
HEADQUA UARTER~
ARMIES or THE UNITED STATES,
/ CITY PoINr, VA, Aug. 26, 2:3OP PM, l-6L J
Iajor GrncraI Sheridan, Halio~a, "a:
Telegraphed you that had good reason
| for believing that Fitz Lee had been order
eel back here. / now think it likely that
all troops will be ordered back from the
| Valley except what they believe to be the
minimum number to detain you. My
reason tor suppOsiug this is based upon the
/ tact that Welding up the Welden road
seems to be 4 blow he cannot stand.
think | do not Oyerstate the loss OF tn,
enemy i'm the laSt two weeks at lO,OW
| killed and wounded. We have lost heay
| l,y, but ours has been mostly in capture,
when the enemy gained temporary advan
tages. Watch closely. and il you find this
theory correct, push with all vigor. Give
the enemy no rest, and it it Is possible to
follow the Virginia Central road, follow
that far. DO all the damage TO railroads
and crops you can. Carry of stock OF all
descriptions and negroes, 80 aS To prevent
further planting II the war is to last m.
other year. We want the Shenandoah Val
luy to remain a barren waste.
lSigned L. :. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMIES oF THE
INIrES STATES,
CITY PoINr, Va, Sep. /, lOam., lS6LJ }
Hrjor GutrH SbrrihUo, Cho,i,,iowR, Ia:
In cleaning out the arms bearing COM
munity from London county and the sub
SIStenCe for armies, exercise your own JudE-
ment rs to who should be exempt from ar
rest and as 10 " no should receive pay for
tor their stock. grain, &r. 1t is our inter
est that that country should not be capa,
ble of SuhSiSting a hostile army, and at
the same time We want To inlllct aS little
hardship upon Union men ;s possible.
ISignrd L. :. GRANT.
Lieutenant General
CITY PuiNT, VA, November lS6L
lEtjor G,urrui >h,ridtD, CDhu' creek, iG..
do YOU not thiuk itadyiSlble to notify all
citizens living east of the Blue Ridge Ia
rnove north Of the Potomac all their stock,
grain and provisions of every description:
| There is No doubt about the necessity o
cleaning out that county so that 1t will
not support Mosby's gang And the qurs
/ iluu Is whether 10 II not better that tn,
| people should save what they can. SO loEg
| Is the war lasts they must he prevented
! from raising another crop, both there AND
/ rs high up the valley rs we can control.
| Signed L. :. GRANT, General.